Minyak August 7 Location: A 1983 study listed 15,000 were bullied by the Minyak living in extremely remote violent Khampa. regions of central Sichuan Province.1 Rock reported, “The The Minyak live in the shadow of the Minya [Minyak] mighty 7,556-meter (24,783 ft.) Tibetan’s homes Gongga Mountain (Minya Konka in have been burned Tibetan). The region was first several times by described in 1930 by intrepid explorer [Khampa] outlaws. Joseph Rock: “A scenic wonder of the On previous raids world, this region is 45 days from the the Minya people nearest railhead. For centuries it may could only flee into remain a closed land, save to such the hills and leave privileged few as care to crawl like their homes to the ants through its canyons of tropical robbers.”8 The heat and up its glaciers and passes in Minyak may be blinding snowstorms, carrying their descended from food with them.”2 survivors of the destruction of Identity: The Minyak are part of the Minyak (in present- Tibetan nationality. They have been day Ningxia) by described as a “peaceful, sedentary Genghis Khan in Paul Hattaway Tibetan tribe, a most inoffensive, 1227. Christianity: Although there are obliging, happy-go-lucky people.”3 presently no known Christians among Most of the members of this group Customs: The Minyak live quiet lives the Minyak, the China Inland Mission call themselves Minyak, except for in nearly complete isolation from the did have a station in Tatsienlu (now those living at Kangding and the rest of the world. Most of their Kangding), on the edge of Minyak Tanggu area of Jiulong County who call villages are accessible only by foot. territory. The mission closed when the themselves Buoba. The Minyak have many cultural links missionaries were forced to leave to the Qiang that show a common China in the early 1950s. When Language: Minyak is part of the ancestry, including a reverence for explorer Joseph Rock first entered the Qiangic linguistic branch.4 It has two white stones. In the past the Minyak Minyak region he was besieged for dialects, Eastern and Western Minyak, lived in small isolated communities, medicine — a sure sign missionaries which reportedly have significant but because of attacks by Khampa had been there before him. differences.5 Many Eastern Minyak bandits they have constructed “large “Whenever we came to a village, the are bilingual in Chinese, while most fortress-like community houses built peasants would gather about us and Western Minyak also speak Khampa.6 of rock, looking like prisons of the with folded hands would beseech me Middle Ages.”9 Most Minyak spend to dispense medicine to sick History: The Minyak were once part of their time raising livestock. relatives.”10 The Minyak today have no the now extinct Chiala Tibetan awareness of Jesus Christ or his Kingdom in western Sichuan. Ancient Religion: All Minyak adhere to Tibetan grace. They are ignorant of tianlu, or stone defense towers, still Buddhism. They observe Tibetan Christianity, living and dying “without stand in dilapidated condition at valley festivals and make pilgrimages to the slightest knowledge of the outside junctures.7 For centuries the Minyak Tibetan holy sites. world.”11 Status: Overview of the Status of Evangelization Minyak Officially included under Tibetan •Wenchuan Language: Sino-Tibetan, 99% •Chengdu Countries: China Tibeto-Burman, Qiangic, Minyak •Kangding SICHUAN TIBET •Ya’an Pronounciation: “Min-yahk” Dialects (2): Eastern Minyak, •Xiangcheng •Jiulong Other Names: Munya, Miyao, Western Minyak •Xichang • Muyak, Muya, Minya, Minya Muli Religion: Tibetan Buddhism YUNNAN GUIZHOU Tibetans, Miyao, Buoba Scale Christians: None known 0 KM 160 Population: 1% 0% 15,000 (1983 Sun Hongkai); Scripture: None Out of a total Tibetan population Jesus film: None A B C Population in China: of 4,593,330 (1990 census) 15,000 (1983) Gospel Recordings: None A = Have never heard the gospel Location: W Sichuan: Garze 20,900 (2000) Christian Broadcasting: None B = Were evangelized but did not Tibetan Prefecture: Kangding, 25,750 (2010) become Christians Ya’an, Jiulong, and Shimian ROPAL code: MVM00 C = Are adherents to any form of Location: Sichuan counties Christianity Religion: Tibetan Buddhism Christians: None Known MINYAK 357.